FR2820378A1 - VEHICLE OPTICAL BLOCK COMPRISING MEANS FOR ATTACHING IMPROVED SPOTLIGHTS - Google Patents

Abstract

The optical unit for a motor vehicle comprises a housing (5) which has a main opening (13) intended to face the outside of the vehicle, and at least one headlight element (17) fixed inside said housing. The optical unit comprises an intermediate fixing member (21) to which is fixed said projector element (17), said intermediate fixing member (21) itself being detachably fixed inside the housing (5) by releasable fixing means (22), so as to be able to be moved towards the main opening (13) of the housing (5), when said fixing means (22) are released.

Description

The invention lies in the field of equipment

for motor vehicles.

  It relates to an optical unit for a motor vehicle comprising a housing which has a main opening intended to be turned towards the outside of the vehicle, and at least one headlamp element fixed to

inside said housing.

  In the state of the art, optical units of this type are known, in particular mounted on the front face of the vehicle, the lamps of which are accessible from the engine compartment. Thus, to replace a lamp in the optical unit, the user must operate overhanging the optical unit by sliding his hands in a

  extremely small engine compartment space.

  The user therefore has little visibility and space

  to handle the lamp and perform the replacement operation.

  A main object of the invention is to remedy this drawback by proposing an optical unit for a motor vehicle, the disassembly of the components of the headlight, in particular lamps, caps and / or deflectors, or

  facilitated by increased accessibility.

  To this end, an optical unit according to the invention comprises an intermediate fixing member on which said projector element is fixed, said intermediate fixing member being itself detachably fixed inside the housing by fixing means. releasable, so that it can be moved towards the main opening of the housing, when said fixing means

are released.

  According to other characteristics of the invention: - the intermediate fixing member is a fixing plate in which is formed at least one recess adapted to receive in a complementary manner said at least one projector element;

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  - The intermediate fixing member has at least one grip handle projecting towards the main opening; - Said releasable fixing means comprise means for adjusting the position of the intermediate fixing member relative to the housing; - Said adjustment means comprise a support adjustable in position relative to the housing, adapted to receive the intermediate fixing member according to a detachable fixing link; - Said releasable fixing means comprise releasable locking means ensuring the detachable fixing link of the intermediate fixing member on the adjustable support; - The releasable locking means comprise at least one locking finger pivotally mounted on the support and comprising a locking lug adapted to cooperate with a shoulder formed on the intermediate fixing member, and a form of rotation drive; - The releasable locking means comprise at least one pair of complementary latching elements formed respectively on the intermediate fixing member and on the support, adapted to keep the intermediate fixing member and the support in a mutual position of pre-locked standby; - The adjustable support has a guide rail for the intermediate fixing member between a locking position and a pre-mounting position on said support; - the adjustable support has a body adapted to cooperate by complementarity in form with the intermediate fixing member when these are in their locked position and the guide slide extends

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  substantially towards the main opening from said body; the slide has a free end edge in the vicinity of which is formed a member for holding the intermediate fixing member in its pre-mounting position, said holder being adapted to cooperate with a complementary member formed on the member intermediate fixing; - The retaining member and the complementary member define a pivot connection allowing the intermediate fixing member to pivot relative to the support, when the intermediate fixing member reaches a position close to the free end edge of the slide ; - The optical unit comprises a lens detachably fixed on the housing, so as to at least partially close the main opening; and - the housing is made in one piece with an element

  vehicle body or structure.

  The invention also relates to a front face of a motor vehicle comprising an optical unit of the type

previously described.

  The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle equipped

of such an optical unit.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the

  description which follows, given only as

  example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a front view of an optical unit according to the invention and of a front part of the vehicle, of which the unit is integral optical; - Figure 2 is a front view of the mounting plate receiving the projector elements of the optical unit shown in Figure 1;

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  - Figure 3 is rear view of the fixing plate of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a front view of the adjustable support of the optical unit of Figure 1; - Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a locking finger, mounted on the adjustable support shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view showing the locking finger of Figure 5 in its position locking the fixing plate on the adjustable support; - Figure 7 is a front view of the optical unit of Figure 1, in the locked position of the fixing plate on the adjustable support; - Figure 8 is a similar view, in the pre-locked position of the mounting plate of the adjustable support; and - Figure 9 is a top view of the optical unit shown in the previous Figures, the fixing plate being in its pre-mounted position on the adjustable support. In Figure 1, there is shown an optical unit 1, mounted and fixed on a front face part 2 of a motor vehicle.

  In order to simplify the description which follows, the

  optical unit will be oriented with respect to its operating arrangement on the vehicle, and the terms "before",

  "rear", "lower", "upper", etc.

  will be understood according to the normal orientation of the vehicle.

  Conventionally, such a front optical unit 1 comprises a housing 5, integrated by complementary shape in the front face 2 of the vehicle, and comprising on its

  periphery of the fixing means on said front face 2.

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  In the embodiment which has been shown, the housing 5 is attached to the front face 2, but the invention is also conceived in the case of a housing produced in one piece with the front face 2 or with other vehicle body or structural elements. The invention is also conceived for an optical unit arranged at another

  location of the vehicle, for example at the rear.

  The housing 5 has a peripheral skirt 7 which cooperates with edges 9 complementary to the front face 2, a bottom 11 located on the side of the engine compartment and integrated in the front face 2, and a front opening 13 constituting the main opening of the housing 5 facing

  outside the vehicle, opposite the bottom of the housing 11.

  The housing 5 has elastic tabs 15 projecting from the peripheral skirt 7 towards the front, these elastic tabs 15 being provided to cooperate with complementary lugs of a lens (not shown) of the optical unit. The crystal, which has not been shown for reasons of clarity, is thus fixed on the casing 5 in a detachable manner, so that it closes the main opening 13, sealing means being interposed between said

glass and the peripheral skirt 7.

  The glass can thus be easily removed from the housing 5, thus giving easier access to the interior volume of the housing 5 from outside the vehicle, without

  pass through the engine compartment.

  The optical unit 1 further comprises headlamp elements 17, here represented three in number, which consist for example of a lamp, a lamp socket and / or a reflector, and are fixed to the interior of the housing 5. Each projector element 17 is either a lamp or an element associated with a lamp, each of these lamps being supplied electrically from the bottom 11 of the

housing 5.

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  The fixing of the headlight elements 17 relative to the housing 5 is carried out by means of two intermediate members 21, 22, the first 21 being an intermediate fixing member, in the form of a fixing plate, and the second 22 being a adjusting member in position in the form of an adjustable support. These intermediate members 21, 22 of the optical unit 1 will be described

  in more detail with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

  The headlight elements 17 are fixed to the fixing plate 21, so that they can be removed from said fixing plate 21, the fixing means used being of known type (for example by screwing,

bayonet connection, etc.).

  The adjustable support 22 is adapted to receive the fixing plate 21 according to a detachable fixing link which will be described in more detail below, and which allows a user to move the fixing plate 21 towards the main opening 13 of the housing. 5, when the means for fixing the plate 21 on the adjustable support 22 are released. The adjustable support 22, disposed in the housing 5 towards the bottom 11 thereof, is connected to the housing 5 by mechanical connections allowing the adjustable support 22 to pivot in the housing 5. Thus, the support 22 can be oriented integrally with the headlight elements 17, when these are fixed to the fixing plate 21 and the fixing plate 21 is

fixed on the adjustable support 22.

  The mechanical connections of the adjustable support 22 on the housing 5 have not been shown, but include in particular ball joints making it possible to pivot the support

  adjustable 22 along different axes.

  With reference to Figure 2, we will now describe

  in more detail the fixing plate 21.

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  The fixing plate 21 has three recesses 31, here formed of through holes, each being complementary to a respective projector element 17. The fastening elements of the headlamp elements 17 in the recesses 31 are detachable fixing means, such as screw or bayonet means, so that the headlamp elements 17 are easily replaceable. The plate 21 further comprises gripping handles 33 projecting from the face of the plate 21 facing the main opening 13 of the housing 5, these handles 33 being intended to facilitate the removal of the plate 21 and its setting in square. Bars 35, substantially aligned with one another, are formed projecting from the plate 21 downwards. The bars 35 define members for guiding and holding the plate 21 on the support 22. Other guide members 37, offset vertically with respect to the bars 35, are formed on a lower peripheral edge of the plate 21. Teeth centering 39, formed on a lateral peripheral edge, ensure precise positioning of the plate 21 relative to its support 22. In the plate 21 are also formed lights 41 intended to cooperate with a complementary locking lug mounted on the support 22 These lights 41 have been represented two in number in the example of

  realization illustrated by the drawings.

  In Figure 3, the same fixing plate 21 is shown in rear view, so as to reveal two elastic tabs 43 projecting from the plate 21, facing the support 22, and provided to define, with complementary members of said support 22, a pre-locked waiting position which will be illustrated in FIG. 8. We will now describe in more detail the

  adjustable support 22 with reference to Figure 4.

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  This support 22 has a body 51 in the form of a plate of shape substantially complementary to the fixing plate 21, so that the fixing plate 21 can be pressed against the body 51, when the fixing plate 21 and the support 22 are in their locked position, ensuring stable maintenance of one over the other. The body 51 has three through holes 53 of shapes corresponding to the recesses 31 in the fixing plate 21. These holes 53 are arranged on the body 51 so as to be in coincidence with the recesses 31 in the fixing plate 21 during the assembly thereof on the support 22. Thus, the headlight elements 17 fixed on the fixing plate 21 can open through the holes 53 towards the bottom 11 of the housing 5 to be supplied electrically from the engine block through the

background 11.

  The support 22 has a slide 55 formed like a sheet projecting towards the main opening 13, from a lower edge of the body 51. The slide 55 is configured so that its upper face 55A can slide the fixing plate 21. The bars 35 for guiding and holding the fixing plate 21 engage on the lower surface 55B of the slide 55, so as to limit the relative displacement of the fixing plate 21 relative to the support 22, in the transverse directions relative to the main sliding direction. The upper surface 55A of the slide 55 is also intended to cooperate with the guide members 37 provided on the edge of the fixing plate. The slide 55 has a free end edge 56 on which two holding members 57 are formed, in the form of hooks obtained by a material return, each of said hooks 57 being adapted to cooperate with a respective bar 35 of the plate of fixing 21, of

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  so as to constitute with it a translational stop member in the direction of sliding of the plate 21 relative to the support 22, as well as a hinge materializing a pivot axis of the plate 21 relative to the support 22. In the body 51 two lights are formed 59

  corresponding respectively to the elastic tabs 43.

  Each elastic tab 43 constitutes with the respective lumen 59 a pair of snap-fastening elements

  which define the pre-

  locked from plate 21 on support 22.

  A bearing surface 61 is formed projecting from

  each lateral edge of the body 51, converging towards it

  ci, in a position corresponding to the centering teeth 39 formed on the plate 21. The points of the centering teeth 39 bear on the surface 61 when the

  fixing plate 21 is approached to the body 51.

  Projecting from the body 51, in the same direction as that of the slide 55, two pairs of hinge elements 63 are formed, the elements 63 having two by two vertically aligned notches adapted to pivotally receive the locking fingers such as shown in Figure 5. In the vicinity of the alignment axis of the hinge elements 63, a respective perforation 65 is formed in the body 51, this

  perforation having elastically deformable edges.

  In Figure 5, there is shown in enlarged detail, a pair of hinge elements 63 provided with a locking finger 67. The locking finger 67 consists of a rod 68 pivotally mounted in the notches of the elements hinge 63, of an operating form 69 integral with the rod 68 at an accessible end thereof, the operating form 69 being configured to be easily gripped and moved by

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  the user. The rod 68 is on the other hand provided, in an intermediate part situated between the hinge elements 63, with a radial projection 71 whose free end, shaped as a ball 73, is disposed opposite the perforation. 65 of the body 51. Thus, when the operating form 69 is rotated around the axis materialized by the finger 67 and the hinge elements 63, the ball 73 passes in one direction or the other through the perforation 65 in elastically deforming its edges. This is achieved by notches in rotation of the locking finger 67. A lug 75 is also formed on the rod 68 of the locking finger 67, this lug 75 being adapted to cooperate with a corresponding shoulder of the respective light 41 , provided in the fixing plate 21. The lug 75 engages on the shoulder of the light 41, or emerges therefrom, depending on the position of the finger

  lock 67 in the hinge elements 63.

  FIG. 6 illustrates the locking position of the fixing plate 21 on the body 51 of the support 22,

  obtained by the engagement of the lug 75 in the lumen 41.

  In the following figures, the three main positions of the fixing plate 21 are illustrated by

support 22.

  In Figure 7, there is shown the mounting plate 21 equipped with three projector elements 17, and fixed in the fully locked position on the support 21. Again, the glass normally fitted to the optical unit and fixed to the housing by the elastic tabs 15, did not

been represented.

  A user who wishes to replace a lamp or a projector element 17 will have to remove this lens, and then find himself in the situation represented in FIG. 7. First, the user must rotate the forms of it 2820378 maneuvering 69 of the locking fingers 67 so as to

  release the pins 75 from the lights 41.

  The fixing plate 21 and the support 22 are then in their pre-locked position shown in FIG. 8, in which they are kept assembled only by cooperation of the elastic tabs 43 and corresponding slots 59. These snap-in members do not

are not visible in this Figure.

  To disassemble the elements of the projector 17, the operator must then exert traction on the handles 23 of the fixing plate 21 of the base 11 of the optical unit. The displacement of the fixing plate 21 is effected by sliding, along the slide 55, the guide members 37 bearing on the upper surface 55A of the slide 55, and the bars 35

  bearing on the lower surface 55B.

  The operator slides the fixing plate 21 to the stop position of the bars 35 in the hooks 57, position from which the fixing plate 21 is able to pivot relative to the support 22, the bars 35 and the respective hooks 57

  together defining a hinge connection.

  The mounting plate 21 and the headlight elements 17 are then in the position shown in FIG. 9, position in which the headlight elements 17 are easily accessible by the user from outside the vehicle, with a

full visibility.

  As appears from the description which

  has just been made, the invention makes it possible to produce an optical unit the maintenance of which, in particular the disassembly and replacement of projector elements, is greatly facilitated. The use of a support adjustable in position, separate from the fixing plate of the elements

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  projector, also ensures the operations of

  maintenance without altering the settings made previously.

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Claims (15)

  1. Optical unit for a motor vehicle comprising a housing (5) which has a main opening (13) intended to be turned towards the outside of the vehicle, and at least one headlight element (17) fixed inside said housing ( 5), characterized in that it comprises an intermediate fixing member (21) on which said projector element (17) is fixed, said intermediate fixing member (21) being itself detachably fixed inside the housing (5) by releasable fixing means (22, 67), so that it can be moved towards the main opening (13) of the housing (5), when said   fixing means (22, 67) are released.   2. Optical unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate fixing member (21) is a fixing plate in which is formed at least one recess (31) adapted to receive so   complementary to said at least one projector element (17).   3. Optical unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the intermediate fixing member (21) has at least one grip handle (33) in   projection towards the main opening (13).   4. Optical unit according to any one of   claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said means   releasable fixing means (22, 67) comprise means (22) for adjusting the position of the fixing member   intermediate (21) relative to the housing (5).   5. Optical unit according to claim 4, characterized in that said adjustment means (22) comprise a support (22) adjustable in position relative to the housing (5), adapted to receive the intermediate fixing member (21) according to a detachable fixing link. detachable fixing of the intermediate fixing member (21) on the adjustable support (22).   5. Optical unit according to claim 4, characterized in that the releasable locking means (22, 67) comprise at least one locking finger (67) pivotally mounted on the support (22) and comprising a locking lug (75) adapted to cooperate with a shoulder formed on the intermediate fixing member (21), and a   rotational drive form (69).   6. Optical unit according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the releasable locking means (22, 67) comprise at least one pair of complementary latching elements (43, 59) formed respectively on the fixing member intermediate (21) and on the support (22), adapted to hold the intermediate fixing member (21) and the support (22) in a   mutual pre-locked waiting position.   7. Optical unit according to any one of   Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the support   adjustable (22) has at least one slide (55) for guiding the intermediate fixing member (21) between a locking position and a pre-mounting position on said support (22).   8. Optical unit according to claim 7, characterized in that the adjustable support (22) has a body (51) adapted to cooperate by form complementarity with the intermediate fixing member (21) when these are in their position and the guide rail (55) extends substantially in the direction of   the main opening (13) from said body (51).   9. Optical unit according to claim 8, characterized in that the slide (55) has an edge (56) of free end in the vicinity of which is formed a member (57) for holding the fixing member 11. Optical unit according to claim 10, characterized in that the slide (55) has an edge (56) of free end in the vicinity of which is formed a member (57) for holding the intermediate fixing member (21) in its position pre-assembly, said holding member (57) being adapted to cooperate with a complementary member (35) formed on the fixing member intermediate (21).   12. Optical unit according to claim 11, characterized in that the holding member (57) and the complementary member (35) define a pivot connection allowing the intermediate fixing member (21) to pivot relative to the support (22), when the intermediate fixing member (21) reaches a position close to the edge (56)   free end of the slide (55).   13. Optical unit according to any one of   Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it comprises a   glass detachably attached to the housing (5), so as to at least partially close the main opening (13).   14. Optical unit according to any one of   Claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the housing (5)   is made in one piece with a bodywork element or vehicle structure.   15. Front face of a motor vehicle comprising a   optical unit according to any one of claims 1 to   14. 16. Motor vehicle comprising an optical unit   according to any one of claims 1 to 14.